Improvement in gang-plows



dished fitatra fitment can.

CORYDON A. FARGO, OF SOQUEL, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 'TO HIMSELF AND BARBERDARLING.

Letters Patent No. 90,831, dated June 1,1869.

To all whom it may concem:

.Be it known that I, CORYDON A. FARGO, of Sequel,

in the countyof Santa Cruz, and State of California,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gang-Flows; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description ofthe same, reference being had tothe, accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention is to provide an improved gang-plow, soconstructed, that it can be easily managed by the driver, without thenecessity of dismounting'from his seat. Atthe same time, the plow willperform much better work, turning the sod evenly, and completely over,and with less power than is required in the use of the ordinarygang-plow.

My invention consists in the employment of an oblong or square frame, inwhich is placed a smaller frame, to which the plows are attached. Thesebeams,

with the plows. are raised and lowered in ways on the larger frame, bymeans of a series of levers, and a connesting-rod, attached tocranks,the cranks having arms that are linked to the plow-frame. Eachcorner of the outer frame is provided with a bent plate, upon whichset-screws, that pass through the ends of the inner frame, hear.

The front cross-beam of the outer frame constitutes the axle-bed for thetwo driving-wheels. One of the axles is provided with a crank, that isworked by a projecting arm, or lever, operating in a rack. To the rearend of the machine is attached a wheel, which turns in any; directiondesired.

Referring to the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my machine,with the inner, or plow-frame raised, and wheel brokenaway.

Figure 2 is also a side elevation, with inner frame depressed, and sidebeam of the outer frame and driv-.

ing-wheel broken away.

Figure 3 represents a plan of ranks, levers, pawls, and upperCI'ZLllkfilflB. I

Figure 4 is a vertical section, taken back of the driving-wheels. I i

A represents the outer, or main frame, to which the driving-wheels andrear wheel are attached.

The inner frame, to which the gang of plows is attached, consists of twohorizontal beams, B B, con nected to mortised cross-end beams O G, withprojecting ends. I

Ateach corner'of the main frame are attached metal plates D D, withtheir lower ends bent inwardly, at right angles.

The projecting ends of the cross-beams are provided with verticalset-screws D D, which turn upon the metal plates, for raising orlowering the plow-frame, and thereby regulating the depth of the furrowout by the plows.

Near the centre',-at each side of the main frame, are p placed verticalways E E, in which move friction-ro as E E, attached to a transversebar, F, that pass through both the horizontal beams of the plow-frame-Two brackets, G G, are set on the top of the horizontal beams of themain frame, which uphold the two transverse crank-axles H H.

These cranks are provided with arms I I, which are connected, by links,to set-screws J J, which enter the cross-beams of the plow-frame, and bythe turning of which the plow-frame is elevated or depressed, allowinggreater sweep, when the lovers are used, for suspending the plows. y

The rear crank-axle is provided withv an upright arm,

, K, towhich is keyed'a'connecting-rod, K, that extends to a lever, L,on the forward'crank-aide, thereby conmeeting the two cranks.

A lever, L, is also keyed to the end of the front crank-axle and bothlevers work in a double rack, M, that is attached to the foot-board andpost of the drivers seat.

The outside of these levers is provided with a spring, N, and the insidewith a log, 0, which catch in the notches P P.

Two pawls, R R, cover the notches P, and the action of one lever unshipsthe other.

' ,The front cross-beam of the main frame constitutes the bed for theaxle of the driving-wheels.

The land-wheel S is provided with a crank-axle, 'S', and is placed atthe top of the cross-beam.

An arm, '1, extends from the crank, which works in a semicircular rack,U, and is held by a pin and key, U. By this means, the land-wheel israised or lowered, to keep the machine in a horizontal plane, while theopposite wheel runs in the furrow, or upturned and loose sod.

To the rear-end cross beam is attached a follower, or supporting-wheel,V, which turns in any direction desired. 7 p

The pole, or neap W, is attached to the front end of the outer frame byhooks and eyes.

" @he, operation of my machine may be described as follows, to wit Whenthe inner frame is suspended, and the plows raised by the crank-axles,and the levers are in position in the notches, or catches on the doublerack, and it becomes necessary to operate with the plows, the driverforces outthe right-hand lever L, which causes the front end of theinner plow-frame to drop, carrying the points of the plows into theslides along the rack, guided by t e outer rail, until it flies into theforward notch, or catch. At the same tiine,.it strikes the end of theforward pawl, which throws out the opposite lever from the notch, andthe rear end of the plow-frame is gradually lowered, car-' rying backthe lever to the rear catch in this part of the rack, when that pawlisset for the reverse operound, and the lover I described, by releasingthe left-hand lever first.

It is confidently asserted, that in the use of 'my plow,

one person, and that person the driver, will perform more work in a day,and do itbetter, with the same. gang, than two men will accomplish withthe ordinary gang-plow, as no vibration, or swaying from side to side,can take place, and, consequently, no bad furrows are made, the plowsbeingsupported, on-the innei' frame, by the ways and plates on the outerframe.

The draught of my plow is also believed to be much less than that of asingle frame, when unsuppprtedby outer frame-work in construction.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The bentplates DD, attached to the outer frame,

as described, the vertical set-screws D D, which bear upon the saidplates, for raising or lowering the. plow erating in the said ways, andthe transverse bar 1 to which the rollers are connected, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

3. Connecting the two crank-axles H H by the rod K, so that both of thesaid axles may be operated by the upright levers L L, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

the plow-frame, and linked to the arms I I of the axles, in combinationwith the said axles, as and for thcpuipose set forth. I

' 5. In combination with the levers L L, operating in'the double racl;M, the pawls R R, for unshipping, or releasing the levers alternatelyfrom the notches P, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The front-end cross-beam of the outer frame, for attachment'of theneap, or pole, axle, and crank-axle, of the driving-wheels, incombination with the crankaxle S and semicircular rack U, the wholeconstructed and arranged to operate substantially as specified.

and seal.

OORYDON A. FARGO. ,[L. s.]

Witnesses:

O. W.'M. SMITH, E..V. SUTTER.

4. The set-screws J J, operating in the beams of In witness whereof, Ihave hereunto set my hand

